PEABODY — The city is hoping to receive a state waiver that would expedite work on the first phase of its three-phase flood mitigation plan.
The waiver would allow Peabody to exclude the project from an environmental impact study that could take more than a year to complete. The state is now soliciting feedback from the public about Peabody's proposal, and city officials are encouraging residents and business owners to support the waiver request.
"It will show that people are impacted (by flooding) and support what the mayor is putting forward," Assistant Director of Planning Blair Haney said.
Project 1 involves construction of twin culverts under Foster Street and through Peabody Square. The new culverts will span approximately 1,950 feet and allow stormwater from Goldthwaite Brook to be conveyed directly into the North River.
"Our project engineers completed analyses of Project 1 with enhanced, upstream flood storage to demonstrate compliance with all state and federal regulations ensuring that there will be no negative impact to downstream property owners in Peabody and Salem," Mayor Michael Bonfanti said in a press release.
The second and third phases of the plan will be included in the study. Project 2 involves widening approximately 1,600 feet of the North River. The river will be widened to 38 feet, from 11 feet to 22 feet in spots, and the Howley and Caller street bridges will need to be replaced.
Project 3, widening a portion of the river that extends into Salem and potentially realigning a 90-degree river bend at a railroad crossing, is being handled by the Army Corps of Engineers.
Modeling results show that Project 1 will bring peak water elevations in a 50-year storm event below the flood threshold elevation in Peabody Square, according to the release.
A waiver would allow the city to move forward with the first project now, instead of in a year or two, and finish it by 2013. The state is accepting comments from the public until May 25. It will make its decision about a waiver on June 4.
Comments can be sent to Secretary Ian Bowles, Executive Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs, Attn: MEPA office, 100 Cambridge St., Suite 900, Boston, MA, 02114.
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